


Plan A

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-15
Updated: 2010-10-15
Packaged: 2017-10-28 09:30:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bradley has a cunning plan. (We all know what his goal is…)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plan A

♦

Bradley had a cunning plan, and he was executing it with great stealth. Though Dave knew all about everything, of course, being their chauffeur, so Bradley didn’t need to be stealthy with him. He was cunning, though, and as a result Dave was soon receiving a call alerting him to some vague family emergency, and he was obligingly wondering out loud if he was absolutely required to stay in the Forest of Dean for the day solely in order to drive Bradley and Colin back to Cardiff that evening.

‘No, no, of course not,’ Bradley magnanimously replied, after making sure they were within hearing distance of Jeremy. ‘You go deal with whatever it is. Myself and Colin ’ll stay here with Jeremy and Dale and all. They’re always going on about how fantastic their hotel is.’

‘Thanks, mate,’ Dave said – and with a wink he was gone.

That was Step One done and dusted.

Step Two involved Bradley saying to Mark, who handled reservations at the quaint little country house hotel, ‘Sorry about the short notice, mate, I bet you don’t have any rooms left. But maybe the medieval honeymoon suite is available…?’

‘Oh no, Mr James, we have – I think – yes, three rooms available, so if you and Mr Morgan would each like –’

‘No, I can’t believe it, the hotel must be totally full, what with the entire crew and all being up here. But probably _no one’s taken the medieval honeymoon suite, right?’_

‘Oh, uh – Oh. No, Mr James. That room is still available, certainly. I’m glad to say. If you and Mr Morgan don’t mind sharing?’ Mark winked at him. Honestly, Bradley hadn’t had so many men winking at him in one day since… since _forever_. ‘I really must apologise for asking you to share like this… If only we weren’t so full…’

‘That’s all right,’ said Bradley with lofty dignity. ‘We’ll make do.’

‘I’ll go fill the jacuzzi for you now, and set it working. I’m sure Mr Morgan would appreciate a good warm soak after his long day.’

Bradley smiled mostly genuinely and only a little wryly. He was far far happier these days about everyone taking such good care of poor dear Colin. ‘That would be grand.’

Step Three was to break the news to Colin, who naturally was all concern for Dave and also obliging regarding the sharing of a room… And then Bradley slid the hotel’s dinner menu under his nose, and watched Colin’s eyes light up as he realised that fully half the main courses were vegetarian. ‘Awesome…’ Colin murmured.

‘I know,’ Bradley said, watching him with a quiet kind of delight that turned his insides to mush.

‘We should do this all the time!’ Colin added, looking directly at Bradley but still running his fingertips down the menu as if he couldn’t bear to lose contact with it.

‘We totally should,’ Bradley agreed.

Step Four had to wait until after dinner, a meal that left Colin with a look on his face of dopey satiation… Bradley escorted Colin up to their room, waited patiently while Colin poked around the faux medieval furnishings, and shrugged off the man’s giggles. ‘And I thought _we_ specialised in anachronisms!’ Colin eventually commented. ‘Paul could learn a thing or two here.’

Bradley cut to the chase. ‘We have a jacuzzi,’ he announced.

Colin’s eyebrows shot up. ‘A _medieval_ jacuzzi…?’

‘It’s in the shape of a clover leaf, or something. I guess that makes it Irish!’

Colin shuddered. ‘Just tell me it’s not emerald green.’

‘It’s not emerald green.’

‘How do you know? I thought you said you hadn’t been up here yet.’

Bradley grinned. ‘You go first, yeah? You can warn me if it’s green!’

‘Well…’ Colin looked at him doubtingly for a long moment. ‘Wouldn’t say no. Probably just the thing after a day spent running around Puzzlewood.’

‘Exactly.’

And Colin fetched his bathroom gear and his sleepwear from his bag, and headed into the bathroom with a grateful nod. A moment later his voice drifted back over the hum of the bubbles. ‘It’s safe! It’s not green!’

‘Thank heavens for that.’ Bradley waited for five of the longest most boring minutes of his entire life, then went with the next step – which involved stripping down to his briefs, and blithely striding into the bathroom despite knowing he wouldn’t be expected. Colin pushed up a little from his recumbent position, but otherwise only his eyes moved as he shiftily tried to work out what Bradley was doing without actually looking at him. Bradley climbed into the jacuzzi, and settled into the leaf opposite Colin. ‘Only a three–leafed clover, I see,’ Bradley commented.

‘Muh…’ Colin responded with rather less than his usual wit. He seemed to have drawn his legs in close, which was a pity when one of the points was to help him relax. Honestly it was.

Then Bradley’s thoughts drifted from three–leaf clovers to four–leafs, from there to luck, and then to getting lucky – and even though that had been the plan all along or at least his fervent wish, it was just as well he could attribute the pinkness in his cheeks to the steam. And maybe Colin had reason to also be relieved about the reputed relationship between pinkness and steam, because after a moment or two he surreptitiously snagged a flannel from beside the tub, and dragged it under the water to apparently cover his privates. Bradley couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Did you go commando, mate?’

‘Yeah,’ Colin confirmed – and he was definitely blushing now.

Better and better. ‘You feeling relaxed? I mean, were you, before I blundered in?’

‘Yeah. Was easing all the knots out.’

Bradley nodded. ‘I’ve still got a few knots myself. Wouldn’t give me one of your famous Morgan massages, would you?’

‘Your shoulders?’ Colin asked with the merest hint of wariness.

‘Yeah, just my shoulders,’ Bradley reassured him.

‘Scoot around here, then,’ Colin said quite happily. Which was how Bradley ended up sitting with his back to Colin, Colin’s fingers kneading with just the right fierceness at Bradley’s shoulders and back, and Colin’s thighs either side of him – and the only way to keep his hands from drifting down to caress those long slim thighs was to prop his elbows on Colin’s bent knees and clasp his hands together in front of his own chest.

And Colin worked away diligently, enthusiastically, and Bradley was zoning out in the heat and pummelling of the jacuzzi, and the pleasure–pain–relief of Colin’s fingers digging into him – and the plan seemed to really be coming together beautifully now – and Bradley so very aware of Colin’s nakedness but for a flannel, and every now and then something seemed to brush against Bradley’s lower back, whether that was the flannel loosely dancing in the bubbling water or Colin’s cock hard and bobbing – and –

Bradley suddenly couldn’t take it any more, and he twisted around, and pushed close despite Colin’s startled face – pressed a kiss to those delicious plump lips…

Those delectable lips which seemed to shrink from him in horror.

Bradley immediately pulled back. ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry –’

‘No, _I’m_ sorry,’ Colin insisted, raising his hands as if claiming innocence, as if he couldn’t bear to even touch Bradley just then. ‘I mean, are you –’

‘I know. I’m an idiot.’

‘No, you’re not.’

‘I’m gonna get out now. Close your eyes – No, why should you trust – Just look somewhere else. Please.’ Though he still had his briefs on, of course, and to be honest his enthusiasm had pretty much shrivelled away. ‘ _God_ , I’m sorry,’ he muttered as he clambered clumsily out of the tub. Grabbed a towel.

‘Bradley –’

‘No. Forget it. Please. I just –’ Then he growled, and gave up on words. Took the towel through to the main room and dried himself off. Put on fresh briefs and a t–shirt. Fretted for a moment about whether it was possible to go find Mark and explain that they would need two rooms after all – but it was too late, wasn’t it. It was all too late. He slipped into the bed, the fancy bed that was all for nothing, and lay on his side with his back to the bathroom, as near the edge as reasonable. He squeezed his eyes closed and prayed for sleep.

A short while later Colin turned out the last of the lights, slipped into the other side of the bed, and lay there quietly.

The minutes dragged by. Neither of them were asleep, though they were still and their breathing was even. Bradley could tell Colin was still aware, though, even if he wanted to pretend he’d already drifted off. There was a certain tension in the air. Bradley wondered if he’d manage to settle at all that night.

Eventually Colin said very quietly, ‘Bradley.’

‘Mmm?’ he responded, reluctant but unable to pretend.

‘Did you –’ Colin’s voice snagged, and then he tried again. ‘Did you mean that, or was it just a… just a spur of the moment kind of thing?’

 _I meant it_ , he silently replied, his courage completely deserting him.

‘Bradley…?’

He sighed, and let himself roll over onto his back. His hand ended up resting near Colin’s hand, brushing it – and after a moment he let it lie there. Colin rewarded him by grazing his knuckles across the backs of Bradley’s fingers.

‘You startled me, is all,’ Colin equably continued. ‘I don’t want you to think that I was –’ Another long moment passed. ‘Well, it wasn’t exactly the _worst_ thing that’s ever happened to me.’

Bradley managed something approximating a chuckle.

‘To be honest, I’ve never really seen the appeal of jacuzzi sex.’

‘You haven’t?’

‘Nah, not with everything all wrinkled and sodden and – and too hot.’

‘Too hot?’ he echoed, trying to get his head around all this. Hope was beginning to stir again.

Colin was stirring, too, and shifting over, shifting closer, that hand holding Bradley’s tight now between them, and the other one carefully exploring in the dark, sliding up Bradley’s chest, running up his throat to caress his jaw and then gently keeping his chin in place while Colin’s lips targeted Bradley’s mouth precisely, and at last returned his kiss.

It was careful at first, tentative, but soon they grew in confidence, it became a surer thing, and Bradley couldn’t help it, he started gobbling Colin up, he’d known those lips would taste as scrumptious as they looked, and he reached for more –

Colin grunted quietly though definitely sternly to stop him, but that was all right because then Colin was shifting closer, their torsos overlapping now, and Colin brought up their joined hands to push Bradley’s down against the pillow over his head – used his free hand to bring up Bradley’s other hand, too, pinning him down with one easy grip round his wrists – and when Bradley wriggled a little, testing these restraints both gentle and firm, Colin moved further over him. ‘Stay still,’ was whispered in the dark – it was so dark out here in the country, dark and quiet but for Bradley’s panting breath and Colin’s murmurings of approval as they kissed again, both of them getting into this, so into this, still warm from the jacuzzi and fragrantly slick with bath oils.

Keeping Bradley secure with his left hand, Colin pushed Bradley's t–shirt up to expose his belly and chest, pushed his briefs halfway down his thighs while Bradley cooperatively lifted up his hips – then Colin, still naked, shifted up and further over to press their cocks together, to wrap his right hand around both of them. Bradley groaned, already close to totally losing it – he’d wanted this for so long, for so damned long, and now Colin was giving it to him, gifting him with pleasure simple and sensual, and every nerve–ending tingling alive in the dark night, every other sense so sensitive without his sight, he was usually so into the distractions of watching, especially with Colin’s strange compelling beauty, he’d thought that’s all he’d be aware of –

‘All right?’  Colin whispered, and even such reassuring words were made wicked by his brogue.

‘Yes,’ said Bradley. ‘Yes.’ Struggling to push up, to grab more, but he was so close already, and Colin’s gentle persistent attentions were enough more than enough with his kisses and his body moving slender and lithe, his nipples grazing against Bradley’s chest as he shifted, his hands firm on Bradley’s hands on their joined cocks – and –

‘Oh!’ Bradley cried as he spilled, he hadn’t had any warning at all, and the joy pulsed out of him leaving him drained, until Colin suddenly bucked against him with a cry and all of Colin’s immeasurable joy fell through him, filled him full, and it was so fucking beautiful that Bradley could do nothing for a while except lie there revelling in it, moaning a little every now and then to let Colin know just how awesome it felt.

Eventually Colin pulled gently away, disengaged, and collapsed beside Bradley, lying on his back. ‘All right?’ Colin asked again.

‘Yeah. You _know_ I’m all right.’

‘Was hoping,’ Colin responded with a smile in his voice. Once they’d both caught their breath, he asked, ‘That what you wanted? Is that what this was all about?’

‘Yeah. That was,’ he confessed – ‘That was Plan A. Seemed to work out all right.’ He didn’t bother trying not to sound smug.

Colin laughed. ‘D’you have a Plan B?’

‘Course. All prepared, I was, one way or another.’

‘I’m flattered.’

‘Good…’ Bradley sighed in contentment, and he snuck his hand closer to grab Colin’s, to weave their fingers together.

‘Bradley –’ A slight shifting as if Colin was turning to look at him. Then a low laugh. ‘Open your eyes, Bradley.’

‘Oh.’ He still had them shut. In fact, now he thought about it, he’d had them screwed shut the whole time. He looked at Colin, at his beautiful friend, realising that the night hadn’t been so dark after all.

Colin’s mouth was a little twisted, though. ‘Didn’t wanna look at me?’ he asked lightly.

‘ _God_ , no. I mean, of _course_ I want to look at you.’ Bradley shifted up to his side, lifted his free hand to run fingertips down that astonishing face. ‘You’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.’

Colin seemed to blush a little at this, though it was obvious he didn’t give Bradley’s opinion any credence. ‘Well, I was just going to say… you should put Plan B into action at some stage.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

‘When?’ Bradley asked, heart thumping with a wild kind of hope.

‘Surprise me.’

‘I can do that,’ Bradley claimed, though he thought that actually Colin would always have his measure, and there’d be very few surprises for the poor man.

Colin leaned up and met Bradley’s mouth again – interested, obviously interested. ‘Think I’ve got a plan of my own in the meantime,’ Colin murmured as he pressed delicious kisses across Bradley’s cheek and then down to his throat.

‘Should always trust in your inspiration,’ Bradley averred, letting Colin drag him near, arrange him close–pressed.

‘Don’t worry, I will,’ Colin promised – and he began moving, and Bradley figured Plan C was the best plan of all.

♦


End file.
